fjf a ske t ba 11 
Recording 
Manual 



by 



J. W. Carow 




Copyrighted, 1922 
by 

ATHLETIC PUBLISHING CO. 
349 Washington Bldg. 
Madison, Wis. 



©C1A695250 

DEC 18 \d22 
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Basketball 
Recording 
Manual 

by 

J. W. Carow 



.03 



Copyrighted, 1922 
by 

ATHLETIC PUBLISHING CO. 
349 Washington Bldg. 
Madison, Wis. 



How the System was Developed. 



Like many other more or less complicated products of 
the mind, this system was built up from a simple beginning, 
and was wholly a labor of love. 

The respective merits of our players came in for spirited 
partisan discussion. There was no agreement on who was the 
most valuable player, who lost the games, where the weakness 
of the team lay, etc. 

For our own amusement and satisfaction, we tabulated a 
few games, recording the goals made and the shots missed. 
These tabulations were illuminating and surprising. They set- 
tled many disputes and showed up faults of some of the best 
players. Until these tabulations were made, partisans would 
not believe that the percentage of goals was so low. 

We then sought to discover what caused the large per- 
centage of missed shot. To do so, we divided the shots into 
long and short, using the foul line distance as the unit. Soon 
these tabulations came to the attention of the coach and he 
commandeered them. The shooting of the players was so 
greatly improved by showing them their faults in black and 
white, that we concluded it would be even more helpful to show 
who assisted in making the shots. So a column was added for 
■ 'assists," Then, as the games went on, we added columns 
calling for held-balls, out-of-bounds, etc. We also, at this 
time, tried to determine who had the most endurance, and so 
divided the table into five minute periods. This expedient of 
showing how long a boy kept going at top speed enabled the 
coach to work his substitutes properly and was the means of 
winning several games. 

— 3 — 



By this time our table became so long and complicated 
that we could not follow the game and tabulate the plays. The 
situation demanded some way to take down the plays as made. 
After a little study, we evolved a simple system of basketball 
shorthand which solved the problem, and enabled us to record 
every play. From this code it was an easy matter to fill out 
our table. 

Prior to the invention of the code, it had been impossi- 
ble to record any assist, except the last before the shot. Now 
all assists were recorded and could be tabulated. Before, the 
course of set plays had to be remembered; now they could be 
followed from the tip-off ; also how and when they were broken 
up could be determined. It was now a simple matter to ex- 
tend the table to cover any feature of the game desired. After 
one game, the coach wanted to know how many fumbles were 
made and who was guilty. Although fumbles were not ac- 
counted for in the table, it was an easy matter to go over the 
shorthand notes and give him the information. A column 
was then added to the table to show fumbles. As the games 
went on, we added columns showing other features of the play, 
such as shots-received-from-our-board and from-their-board, 
ball-received-from-out-of -bounds, ball-thro wn-out-of -bounds, 
passes-intercepted, etc. 

As soon as we began to tabulate the plays, we reduced 
the totals to percentages. This was necessary for a good un- 
derstanding of the plays and a great aid to the coach in his 
chalk talks. Percentages, curiously enough, tell an entirely 
different story than numbers. Tell a boy that he made 31 er- 
rors out of a total of 92 plays and he will not be greatly im- 
pressed, but show him his relative standing in a percentage 
column and he is interested at once. 

At first we confined ourselves to taking percentages of 
goals only. As the table grew, it became plain that goals alone 
did not tell the whole story. It is obvious that the goal per- 

— 4 — 



centage of a standing guard will not show up very well. Again, 
many of the teams are built around an excellent shot, and he 
gets all the credit in the goal percentage column. As the code 
showed every play, it was possible to work out percentages 
showing each man's value to the team and taking into consid- 
eration not only goals made, but all other plays as well. 

To work out these percentages, it was necessary to as- 
sign certain values to each play. In determining these values 
we consulted many basketball authorities, who kindly gave us 
their ideas. It was finally decided in high schools to give a 
credit of four points to field goals, two to goals from fouls and 
one to all other plays; to charge two points against a player for 
fouls and one for all other errors. For more expert teams, 
three points were credited for field goals. The total of credits 
and errors were determined and the percentages computed. 
These percentages, we thought, showed the team play standing 
of each man. When we had arrived at this point, we confi- 
dently supposed we had at last discovered how to give each 
player credit for his every play — how to determine just what 
each man was worth to the team. We reckoned without the 
clever boy. Things went well for a few games, when suddenly 
a guard began to appesr at the top of the percentage column. 
He was a good player, but plainly not the best player. We 
wondered what was wrong with our system and began to watch 
this guard. He had studied the system carefully and gone out 
to beat it. He would not get into any play where he was likely 
to make an error. He played for the credits. We interviewed 
him and confirmed our suspicions. The solution was obvious. 
We had to take into consideration the player's activity — his 
willingness to get into the game. When this was done, the 
relative efficiency of the players and another percentage column 
was the result. Our guard's percentage now dropped to the 
bottom of the relative efficiency column only to parallel his pos- 
ition in the credits percentage column when he got back into 
the play. 



Some boys cannot visualize figures, and sets of percent- 
ages make no appeal. All boys, however can understand a 
graph. Graphs were therefore prepared covering every phase 
of the play, and were continued from game to game. Great 
interest was shown in these graphs and all the boys fought to 
make that line go up. One player was much hurt because he 
was not at the top of the percentage column, a position he 
really deserved and later occupied. He was the most valuable 
man on the team, but nevertheless a very poor shot; a special 
graph was prepared for his benefit, showing that the line of 
goals made by the team paralleled his "assists" line, rising when 
he assisted and dropping when he shot. His team play im- 
proved at once and he perfected his shooting by hours of prac- 
tice. 

Graphs will often put the idea across where nothing else 
will avail. 



— 6 — 



The System 



In basketball, as in every other sport, it is essential that 
a record of the play of each member of the team be kept. With 
the record in black and white so that reliance upon memory is 
eliminated, the team may be handled with fairness and accuracy. 

Every coach knows that after the game, his men cannot 
remember with any great exactness just how they conducted 
themselves during the game. Each man will assert with great 
earnestness that he did not try a long shot, that he did not fail 
to get the ball on the tip off ; that he lost no held balls ; that he 
did not throw the ball out of bounds; that no set plays failed 
through his fault; that he did not loaf, etc., and without an ac- 
curate record of each play it is impossible to convince him that 
he is wrong. 

The coach who must rely on his memory, is often in dif- 
ficulties with his men. A record of the play enables him to 
correct the faults of the men and to check up on their plays 
without losing their confidence. 

Many a team has been wrecked because a coach could 
not substantiate his criticisms. Many a seemingly brilliant 
team has failed to come up to pre-season predictions because 
some spectacular player has unwittingly thrown the games away 
on long shots, failing to assist instead of shooting, etc. In 
each case, a tabulation of the plays in figures would have put 
things right. 

Every coach can call to mind dozens of situations which 
cried loudly for figures, with none available. 

— 7 — 



We call to mind a team with two especially brilliant men 
on it. One was a good short shot; the other a poor shot. 
The poor shot liked the acclaim of the crowd and would shoot 
every time he got a chance. The tabulations of the plays 
showed that when the poor shot assisted, the team won, and 
when he shot, the team lost. He was shown the graphs of the 
team scores and his play. He immediately began to assist the 
good shot and the team percentage climbed. 

Another "forward" would not believe that he took unnec- 
essarily long shots. The figures convinced him and he became 
the best scorer on the team. 

A captain would not believe that he loafed in the last 
quarter, and resented being taken out. The figures put him 
right and greatly improved his play. 

The discussion of a game with every play before the team 
has a wonderful effect upon the future play of each man. He 
can visualize his faults and can much more easily correct them. 
A percentage column is a great incentive to good play. 

At first thought it seems difficult, if not impossible, to 
keep a record of every play. This is not the case, however. 
Anyone can do it after a little practice. Like anything else 
which is worth while, one must give the matter some thought 
and work. 

It is only necessary to learn a short code — a system of 
basketball short hand, the rest is routine. With this code each 
play is put down as it is made and the plays are then tabulated. 
The code is simple. It is so designed that the play is sugges- 
tive of the symbol which stands for it. Initials instead of num- 
bers are used to designate players. The numbers on the men 
cannot always be seen and the players' names suggest the 
initial, 



The Code 



® = ball goes up in center. 
A, B, S, L, etc. = the initials of the players. 
H = held ball. 
= out of bounds. 

/\ = connects the player with the play where necessary. 

long shot missed (over 15 feet, i. e. beyond the foul 
line.) 

short shot missed. Rebound from board in each case 
shown by bringing up end. 

/ ^ s ^r: long goal. 

n short goal. 

/v\a. — dribble. 

fu sr fumble. 

— = opponent's ball, one mark for each movement of ball. 

O = foul. Q = foul by opponent. 

@ = foul by home player, S, ® = foul by S and shot 
missed. ©* xB = foul by opponent and goal made 
by B. Use also the letters T, P and D P for technical, 
personal and double personal fouls. 

When a substitute is put in, show where and when he 
began play and for whom substituted. 



The Play in Code 



LADYSMITH vs. RICE LAKE LADYSMITH, Jan. 15, 1922. 

Bliffert, R. F. equals B 

Sawyer, L. F. S 

Lee, C. L Referee, Jay. 

True, R, G. " T Umpire, 

Reik, L. G. l< R Time Keeper, Riordon. 

1st Half. Game began 8:32 p. M. 
LSB 'V -H ^ BLS 

0--R^O-S LO \^ 

LB ^T/wnB^- R© /w\H/n 

TBSfu ^ R L B 

LSB 

'XOTR S^H LTB^SO^ 

X etc. 



Explanation of Play as Shown by Code 



Lee tipped off the ball to Sawyer, who passed it to Blif- 
fert. The latter missed a short shot, which did not hit board 
or go out of bounds. .This was a set play. Opponents got ball 
and passed it once when Bliffert won a held ball and tipped it 
to Lee, who passed it to Sawyer, and he scored a short goal. 

Opponents center got tipp-off, but Reik intercepted the 
pass and carried ball out of bounds. Opponent's ball. Sawyer 
intercepted the throw in and passed to Lee, who made a long 
shot for goal. 

— 10 — 



Lee tipped off to Bliffert; opponents intercepted his pass 
and after two passes, missed a long shot, which hit board. 
True got ball on rebound and dribbled, then passed to Bliffert, 
who missed a short shot and it was recovered by opponent. 
Reik intercepted pass but opponents made single personal foul, 
Sawyer missed the shot from foul and ball recovered by oppon- 
ent. After two passes, they dribbled and ran into a held ball 
by True, who tipped ball to Bliffert. Bliffert passed to Sawyer, 
who fumbled, etc. 

It is now easy to tabulate the play and figure the per- 
centages. 

In tabulating the play, check off the long misses first, 
then the short misses, etc. , through the table, column by col- 
umn. This method is easier than to carry all the columns along 
together. 

It is perhaps unnecessary to call attention to the fact 
that there are two kinds of held ball and intercepted passes, a 
won and a lost, and that there is a rebound from two boards. 
An assist is credited when the ball is passed to a team mate, 
except when the ball is (a) put in play from out of bounds, and 
(c) tipped off. These plays are ''assists," but are credited in 
separate columns as it is essential to tabulate thems eparately. 
Therefore, do not duplicate by putting them in the assist col- 
umn. Of course, these special columns may be eliminated and 
all accounted for in the "assist" column if desired. 

The "credit" or "debit" to which each play is entitled 
depends somewhat upon the expertness of the team. It has 
been suggested that a goal should count three (3) and every 
other play one (1) . This works out all right for college and 
professional teams but it penalizes shooting in high school and 
amateur teams. In the latter class, the goals from field should 
receive a credit of four (4) , goals from fouls two (2) , all other 
plays, one (1). Missed fouls should be debited two (2), all 
other errors, one 1). 



When a player is shooting 33 1-3 percent, he is making 
every third shot. If he gets three credits on each goal and one 
debit on each miss, he profits by shooting. If, however, he is 
shooting 25 percent., he plays even, but if he is shooting 20 
percent. , which is by far more common, he is actually penalized 
for shooting, because he then gets a credit of three (3) and a 
debit of four (4) for every five shots. 



Computing Percentages 



Any percentage which is desired may now be figured. 
It is suggested that the following percentages be computed: 
(a), long goals to total shots; (b), short goals to total shots; 
(c), goals to total shots; (d), team goal percentages, (e), cred- 
its to total of credits and errors, and (f) relative efficiency. 

It may appear at first glance that the figures which show 
the percent of credits to total of credits and errors represent 
the efficiency of each player. This is not the case. As the 
number of plays a man enters into increases, his credits per- 
cent, decreases. This is also true in baseball or any other sport 
and is the reason why a man is not given a standing in other 
sports until he has played a certain number of games. If now, 
a basket ball player plays for this credits percentage, he can 
increase it by loafing and making plays only when his chances 
are good for getting a credit. To take care of this and deter- 
mine a man's actual efficiency, it is necessary to figure in his 
activity. Obviously this cannot be done play by play. It is, 
therefore, necessary to take the average of all plays made by 
the team and compute the man's activity from this. For in- 
stance, the total plays made are 500; the average is 100. If our 
man makes 89 plays, his activity percentage is 89. When his 
activity percentage is multiplied into his credits percentage, 
the result is his relative efficiency. Suppose this man's credits 
percentage is .728, then his relative efficiency is .728x.89 or 



— 12 — 



.648. If, however, his activity percentage is 1.10, then his rel- 
ative efficiency is .801. 

Please notice that this last figure is his relative efficiency 
and therefore may be more than 1.000. Explaining, if a man's 
credits percentage is .90 and he made 115 plays as against an 
average of 100 plays, then his relative efficiency is 1.035. This, 
of course, will seldom happen. 

Compute a substitute's activity by giving him credit for 
the rest of the game at the same rate of play: That is, if the 
substitute plays ten minutes, multiply his scores, credits, deb- 
its, etc. , by four. 



Graphs 



In order that the men may visualize their play, it is ad- 
visable to make graphs of the percentages, showing the graphs 
of long and short misses and goals, of the assists of each player 
as compared to the goals, of the relative efficiency as compared 
to the credits percent, and other graphs as desired. If these 
graphs are continued as the games progress, a wonderful stim- 
ulus to good play will result. 



— 13 — 



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